Tobacco blending and feeding mechanism



Aug. 28, 1928.

A TTORNEY5 W. H. SCHUSSLER TOBACCO BLENDING AND FEEDING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 8, 1925 11 Sheets-Sheet 3 '7 INVEN TOR.

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W. H. SCHUSSLER TOBACCO BLENDING AND FEEDING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 8, 1925 11 Sheets-Sheet 6 I N V EN TOR.

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W. H. SCHUSSLER' TOBACCO BLENDING AND FEEDING HECHANISI Filed Aug. 8, 1925 11 Sheets-Sheet 9 [NV EN TOR.

ATTORNEYS Aug. 28, 1928. 1,682,542

w. H. SCHUSSLER' TOBACCO BLENDING AND FEBDINC MECHANISM Filed Aug. 8, 1925 Sheets-Sheet 10 @9 63 Z 6! WnmmmuKQW 4 E25 WMWM INVENTOR.

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BY flaw/4,01% 7ZIMXM n 14 TTORNEYS Patented Aug. 28, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER H. SCHUSSLEB, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE SCHUSSLER TOBACCO MACHINE COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA,

A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

TOBACCO BLENDING AND FEEDING MECHANISM.

Application filed August 8, 1925. Serial No. 48,955.

The main object of my present invention is to devise novel tobacco blending-and feeding mechanism for a cigar bunching machine, wherein a plurality of blends of tobacco are automatically blended and then a predetermined portion of such blends is fed to a carrier which discharges a predetermined amount of the blended tobacco into the bunching apron.

With the above and other objects in view as will hereinafter more clearly appear in the detailed description and the appended claims, my invention com rehends novel means for blending and feeding blended tobacco.

It further comprehendsa novel blending and feeding mechanism for tobacco, wherein the different blends are fed into separate magazines which are always filled with the different blends, novel mechanism for feeding the blends from their magazines, cutting off mechanism, novel means for effecting the sizing and compression of the blends which have been cut ofi into a sized charge and for discharging them into a carrier, novel mechanism for actuating said carrier, and novel mechanism to cause the charge to enter the pocket of a bunching apron.

It further comprehends novel feeding mechanism wherein only one blend may be fed, if desired.

Other novel features of construction, and advantage will hereinafter more clearly appear in the detailed description and the appended claims.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, I have shown in the accompanying drawing a typical embodiment of it, which, in practice, will give reliable and satisfactory results. It is, however, to be understood that this embodiment is typical only and that the various instrumentalities of'which my invention consists can be variously arranged and organized, and that the invention is not, therefore, limited to the precise arrangement and organization of these instrumentalities as herein set forth.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a tobacco blending and feeding mechanism, embodying my invention. v

Figure 2 is a plan view.

Figure '3 is a side elevation, viewed from the left hand side.

F'gure 4 is a side elevation, viewed from the right hand side of themachine.

is a section on line 55 of Fig- Figure is an end view of the rear presser V finger lever.

Figure 11 is a plan view of the rear presser finger lever.

Figure 12 is a side elevation, showing the control cam for the frontpresser finger lever.

Figure 13 is a side elevation of the cam and lever for the bottom plate and the front pusher.

Figure 14 is a side'elevation of the cam and levers for the vertical knife.

Figure 15 is a side elevation of the operating lever for the front presser finger.

Figure 16 is a side elevation of the vertical knife, and certainof its adjuncts.

Figure 17 is a plan view of the operating lever for the front pusher.

Figure 18 is a plan view operating the bottom plate.

Figure 19 is a plan view of the front pusher'and the bottom plate.

Figure 20 is a section on line 20-20 of Figure 19.

Figure 21 is a front elevation of a portion of the pusher.

Figure 22 is a section on line 22 -22 ofFigure 23.

Figure 23 is a front elevation showing the front wall of the rear magazine.

Figure 24 is a section on line 2424 of F igure 25.

Figure 25 is a front elevation of the front wall of the front magazine.

Similar numerals of referenceindicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings 1 designates the frame of the machine in which is journalled the main driving shaft 2, having fixed to it a drive pulley 3 which is adapted to receive a driving belt.

In describing the construction and opera tion of the machine, I will, in so far as is practical, describe the construction and operation of the lever for of the various mechanisms in the logical order or sequence in which they are operated, and the first step is the feeding of the different blends of tobacco.

The main drivin shaft 2 has mounted thereon a combined pulley and cam 4, see more particularly Figure 3. A belt 5 passes around the pulley portion of the combined cam and pulley 4, and also around a pulley 6, loosely mounted on a shaft 7 journalled in the machine frame.

The shaft 7 is driven due to the provision of a spring 8, see Figure 1, one end of which abuts against a fixed collar 9, while the other end thereof bears against a collar 10 keyed to the shaft 7 and bearing against the pulley 6, so that,.when the pulley 6 is revolving, the shaft 7 will also be driven.

A belt 11 passes around the pulley 6' and also around a pulley 12, which is loosely mounted on a shaft 13.-

The shaft 13 has afixed collar 14, against which bears one end of a spring 15. The other end of said spring 15 bears. against a collar 16 keyed to the shaft 13 and is in frietional engagement with the pulley 12, so that the pulley 12 will effect the frictional drive of the shaft 13. s

The shaft 7, see Figure 4, has fixed to it a gear 17, which meshes with a gear 18, fixed to the shaft of a feed roller 19, around which passes a feed belt 20 which also passes around a roller 21. i

Above the feed belt 20, are the spaced guide plates 22. The shaft 7, has fixed to it a toothed roll 23, see more particularly Figure 5. One blend of the tobacco is placed by the operator on the feed belt 20 and feeds forwardly beneath the toothed roll 23 and is discharged into the rear magazine 24, the front wall of which is formed by a plate 25, see also Figures 22 and 23. The upper portion of this wall is tapered and curves rearwardly and is provided with the slots 26, which form spaces to receive the teeth of the roll 23.

In other words, the rearwardly curved portion of the front wall is serrated to provide clearness for the toothed roll 23.

The toothed roll 23 contributes to feed the tobacco, thus maintaining the magazine 24 always filled. V

As soon as the magazine is filled, due to the frictional drive and the friction of the tobacco in the magazine, the feeding action will stop until the magazine has been partly emptied, as will be hereinafter explained.

The front magazine 161is also maintained filled with tobacco of another blend, it being seen that the shaft 13 has fixed to it a gear 27 which meshes with a gear 28 fixed to the shaft or trunnions of a roll 29, around which passes a feed belt 30 which also passes around a roll 31.

Above the feed belt 30, are positioned the spaced plates 32, suitably carried by the frame. The shaft 13 is provided with a toothed roll 33, the teeth of which pass through the recesses 34 in the front wall 35 of the front magazine 161, which, is maintained full of tobacco, and, when full, due to the frictional drive, the feed will momentarily cease until aportion of the tobacco has been discharged from such magazine.

The front wall 35 is provided with a series of slots 36, see more particularly Figures 5 and 2:), through which are adapted to pass the teeth of a comb 37 carried by an arm 38, see Figure 2.

The arm 38 carries a depending rod 39, see Figure 1, and on one side of its fulcrum it isiengaged by the forked end of an elbow lever 40. see Figures 3 and 15, which is suitably fulcrumed. One end of said lever 40 is connected with a link 41 to which is connected one end of a lever 42, see Figure 1, suitably f ulcrumed on a rock shaft 43.

The lever 42 has connected to it a link, 44, the lower end of which is connected to a lever 45, see also Figure 12, said lever 45 being fulcrumed at 46 and having a projection which travels in thecam groove 47 of a cam 48 fixed to the main driving shaft 2.

It will thus be understood that as the main shaft 2 revolves the comb 37 will rock inwardly and outwardly. The depending rod 39 of the comb 37 is slidahly mounted in a bearing 49, and its lower end is supported on the forward end of the lever 50. fixed to the shaft 43.

The rock shaft 43 has fixed to it a rock arm 51, to which is connected a link 52, which at its lower end is connected to a lever 53, which is fulcrun'icd on the shaft 46. This lever 53 has a projection which travels in the cam groove 54, of the cam portion 55, of the combined cam and pulley 4.

It will now be understood that the comb 37 is automatically raised and moved inwardly, and the construction of the cam :14 is such that the comb 39 is permitted to move downward- 1y. due to gravityand its own weight.

lVhen the comb 37 is moved inwardly, it presses into the tobacco, so that on its downward movement it feeds the tobacco downwardly.

At this time, a knife 56, see Figures 2 and 5, is in its outward position. This knife is pivotally supported at 57, see Figure 2, and is actuated by a lever 58.

The lever 58 is actuated by the link 59 which is connected to a lever 60, the free end of which is provided with an extension which travels in a cam groove 61 of a cam 62, fixed to the shaft 2.

When the blend of tobacco is fed from the magazine 161 it is received on a siatirmary plate 63, see Figures 5, 19 and 20. The knife 56 cooperates with the cutting edge of the rear wall of the magnazine 161 so that the tobacco is cut by a shear cut. The tobacco which is received on the stationary plate 63 is moved forwardly by the pusher 64 so that the tobacco passes from the plate 03 and received on the movable support 65, which, at the proper time, is moved rearwardly.

The pusher 6 1 is moved forwardly and rearwardly by a lever 60 fulcrumed at 08 and having the pins 67 which coact with the pusher 6 1 in order to effect its forward or rearward movement, see Figure 17 The lever 66 is recessed at its rear end to receive the end of a lever 69, fulcrumed at 70,

and having the lower end projecting into a cam groove 71 of a cam 72, fixed to the main driving shaft 2.

A portion of tobacco contained in the magazine 161 has now been fed downwardly, cut off and moved rearwardly by its pusher, and the next movement in the cycle is the feed of the tobacco from the magazine 21, which is effected by the feeding fingers of the comb 7 3, which is constructed and operated in similar manner to that of the comb 37.

The comb 7 3 is fixed to a shaft 71, suitably journalled, so that it is free to rock and raise and lower, it is slidably and rotatably mounted. The teeth of the comb are adapted to extend through the slots 7 5 into the magazine 2% The comb '73 is connected with a link 76, which is connected with a lever 77, connected to a lever 78, fulcrumed at 7 9.

The lever 78 is connected with a link 80 which is preferably connected to a cam lever 81 having a portion extending into a cam groove 82 of a cam face 83 supported on a stud 84. This stud 84 has mounted on it a pulley 85, see Figure 2, around which passes a belt 86, which also passes around the pulley portion of the cam 62.

The foregoing description describes the rocking movement of the comb 7 3, and I will next descril'ie the means for effecting the raising and lowering of such comb,

The cam face 83 is provided with project ing pins 87 which are in the path of an arm 88 fulcrumcd at 89, so that during the revolution of the cam face 83, the arm 88 is raiser and lowered. The shaft 89 has h'Xed to it an arm 90, the forward end of which supports the bottom of the shaft 7 1, which carries the comb 7 3, so that the comb 73 is mechanically raised by the cam, but is permit ted to drop, due to gravity and its own weight.

\Vhen the comb 73 is moved forwardly to cause its teeth to project into the magazine 24, the teeth will enter the tobacco and cause its rilownward feed, and this occurs while the knife 91, see Fi re 5, is in its rea ward position.

The knife 91 is fulcriuned at 92. see Figure and is provided with an arm 93 which is coi'inected by means ol a link 91 connected with a lever 95. The lower end of the lever 95 is fulcruu'icd on a rod 90.

An. arm '97 is fixed to the arm 95, and is PlOVlClCtl with a projection which travels in the cam groove 98 of a arm 99. This cam 99 is fixed to the sleeve 100 having a projecting arm 101, see Figure 7. The arm 101 has mounted on it a pawl 102, and the rear end of the pawl is bifurcated to receive a pin 1023 fixed to the ratchet 114.

The arm 101 has a driving pawl to co-opcrate with the ratchet 10 1 which is loosely mounted on the shaft 84. The ratchet 104 forms a part of the pulley 85, as will be understood from Figure The tobacco is fed from the magazine 241 on to the bed 105, see Figure 5, at which time the knife 91 and the pusher 106 are in their outward positions after which the knife 91 is moved forwardly to cut the tobacco. The lower portion of the wall 25 forms a cutting edge with the knife 91.

106 is a pusher which is reciprocated, so that, on its forward moven'ient, it moves the cut tobacco forward. This pusher is actuated by the lever 77, which has already been described.

This pushes the tobacco forwardly against the tobacco which has been fed from the magazine 161 and which is supported on the mov able plate 65. This causes a compression of the two blends.

This gives the size or volume of tobacco for a single bunch. As the forward feed of the pusher 106 is completed, the pusher 6 1 is retracted, which carries with it the lever 107, see Figure 2.

This lever 107 is loosely fulcrumed at (38, and, as it moves with the pusher 641, it moves out of the path of the lever 108, see Figure 2, and this lever 108 is fixed to the rock shaft 109, see Figure The rock shaft 109 has fixed to it a rock arm .110, which is connected with a link 111, which is pivotally connected to a pawl 112. The pawl 112 is pivotally carried by a bearing 113, carried by the machine frame.

\Vhen the pawl 112 engages the ratchet 1141 which is mounted on the sleeve 100, see Figures 6 and 7, it retards the motion of the cam 99. As soon as the pawl 112 engages the ratchet 11%, the rotation of such ratchet is stopped, but the ratchet 10 1 continues to rotate until the pin 103 fixed to the ratchet 11 1 releases the pawl 102 from the ratchet 104. This stops the movement of the arm 101, the sleeve of which is fixed to the cam 99, so that the cam 99 stops rotating. A spring 115 is connected with the arm 101 and also with the ratchet 11 1.

A. spring 116 .is connected with the pawl 102 and with the arm 101. The sized charge of tobacco on the movable support 65 is now cut off by the vertical knife 117.

The bed forms a cutting edge with the knife.

The knife 117 is fulcrumed at 118, and has connected with it an arm 119, to which is connected one end of a link 120, see Figure 2, the lower end of said link being connected to a lever 121 fulcrumed on the rod -16. This lever 121 has a portion which extends into a cam groove 122 of the cam 72 mounted on thedriving shaft 2.

After the knife 117 is operated, the next movement in the cycle is the movement of the support 65, which is opcratively connected with the lever 123 by a pinand slot connection.

The lever 123 is operatively connected with a lever 124, suitably fulcrunied, and having its lower end extending into a cam groove 125 of the cam 72.

The movablesupport is now moved forwardly, and the next movement is the operation of the plunger 126, see-Figure 5, which is connected by a rod 127 with a link 128, which is connected with a lever 129, fulcrumed at 130.

The lever 129 is connected by means of a link 131 with a cain lever 132, fulcrumed at 46 and provided with a projecting portion which extends into the cam groove 133 of a cam 1534, fixed to the main driving shaft 2.

This downward movement of the plunger 126 causes the tobacco to be fed into the carrier 135 which has its bottom closed by the portion of the frame on which it slides, while its top is open to receive the charge.

The carrier 135 is connected by means of a link 136 with a lever 137, see Figure 5. The lever 137 is connected by means of a link 1238 with a lever 139, fulcrumed on the machine and having one of itsarms connected to a. link 140, which,.in turn, is connected to a cam lever 1 11 having a projecting portion which extends into the cam groove 112 of a cam 143, fixed to the main driving shaft 2.

The tobacco in the carrier 135 is now discharged in any desired manner to a desired point of utilization, where it is subjected to further treatment.

As illustrated, it is discharged into the pocket of a conventional bunching machine 144;, which is constructed and operated in the usual and conventional manner.

The rolling table has the usual pocket 145 and the plunger 146 which is fixed at its upper end to an arm 14:7 carried by a slidable rod 148 journalled in the bearing 14:9. The rod 148 is connected with a lever 150 which has an arm 151 connectedto a link 152 connected with a cam lever 153, fulcrumed at 16,'and having a portion extending into a cam groove 15 1 of the cam 155, fixed to the main driving shaft 2.

The'bunching machine is preferably operated and controlled in timed relationship to the other movements, and, to accomplish this purpose, the cam 143 actuates an arm 156, see Figure 1, which is connected with a lever 157, see Figure 5, said lever being fulcrumed at 158, and connected with the roll 159. A spring 160 is connected with the lever 157 and with a fixed portion of the machine frame.

It will thus be seen that, at the proper time, the bunching operation auton'iatically takes place. 7

The operation of my novel blending and feeding mechanism for tobacco machines is as follows Assuming that the drive shaft 2 is revolving, the feed belts 20 and 30 will also be in operation. The operator places one blend of tobacco on the feed belt 20 and a different blend on the feed belt 30. The combined pulley and cam 34; is now revolving, thereby causing the belt to drive the pulley 6, thus imparting motion to the shafts 7 and 13.

The shaft 7 is intcrgcared with the roller 19. thus causing the forward feed of the feed belt 20, and, in a similar manner, the shaft 13 is intergeared with the feed roller 29 thus causing the forward feed of the feed belt 30.

The teeth 23 causes the tobacco, which is fed forwzudly, to enter into the tobacco magazine 24., and, in a similar manner, the teethed wheel 33 causes the other blend of tobacco to be fed forwardly into the tobacco magazine 161, so that these two magazines are always filled with different blends of tobacco.

Assuming now that the knife 56 is retracted, the comb 37 is now raised and moved forwardly into the magazine 161. The cam groove 5% eo-opcrates with the cam lever 53, causing the comb 37 to be raised, and the comb is then rocked laterally. The comb 37 now moves down and causes the tobacco to feed from the tobacco magazine 161 onto the stationary plate 63. The knife 56 is now advanced. The cam groove '61 of the cam 62, see Figure 1, actuates the lever 60 and the connecting mechanism effects the advance of the knife 56.

The pusher 6f is now advanced to move the blend of tobacco which has been cut off onto the movable support 65.

The cam groove 71, see Figure 13, actuates the lever 66. One of the pins 67 contacts with the pusher 6% to move it rearwardly, and the lever 66 then moves forwardly to clear the pusher 64 as shown in Figure 17.

When the lever 66 moves rcarwardly, as described, it contacts with the lever 108 which is connected with the lever 110 by means of the rock shaft 109. This pulls the link 111 and moves the pawl 112 out of engagement with the ratchet 114;, see Figures 6 and 7. The spring 116 then moves the ratchet 114 forwardly, and causes the pin 103 to rock the pawl 102 and thereby mesh with the ratchet 101 and move with it.

As the ratchet 101 is continuously revolving the feeding of the controlling mechanism of the rear magazine 24: is now started.

The comb 73 is now raised and moved inwardly, as already described, so that it enters the feed magazine 24, and, after the knife 91 is retracted, the comb moves downwardly to feed tobacco onto the bed 105.

The pins 87 on the cam 83, see Figure 4, rock the arm 88 thus rocking the shaft 89 and causing the arm 90 to raise the rod 74, see Figure 3 and raises the comb 73.

The lever 77 causes the inward movement of the comb 73 so that it engages the tobacco of the magazine 24, and, due to the shape of the cam groove 82 the comb moves downwardly, due to gravity and its own weight.

The knife 91 is controlled by the cam groove 98 which operates the arm 97 and the lever 95 together with the link 94 and the arm 93 to actuate the knife 91 which is advanced and retracted to cut the tobacco.

The blend of tobacco is now on the bed 105, the tobacco in magazine 24 is now supported on the knife 91 and the next operation is the movement of the pusher 106, which is effected by the arm 77 the drive of which has already been described.

The forward movement of the pusher 106 pushes the tobacco against the pusher 64, and causes the latter to move rearwardly. This causes the pusher 64 to move the lever 107 away from the lever 108.

This permits the link 111 to drop and the pawl 112 to engage the ratchet 114.

The ratchet 114 is now revolving and as the ratchet 114 is held the pin 102 causes the pawl 103 to move out of engagement with the teeth of the ratchet 104 to stop the movement of the cam 99. This stopping of the cam 99 arrests the movement of the arm 97 fixed to the arm 95 connected by means of the link 94 with the arm 93 connected with the knife 91 thus stopping the knife. The stopping of the cam 99 also stops the movement of the comb. When the cam 99 stops it stops the cam lever 81 connected by the link 80 with the lever 78 which in turn is connected with the lever 77. The lever 77 is connected by the link 76 with the comb 73 so that the in and out movement of the comb 73 is stopped.

The stopping of the cam 99 also stops the pusher 106 actuated by the lever 77, the stopping ofwhich lever 77 has just been explained in. connection with the operation of the comb 73.

The next operation in the cycle is the operative stroke of the vertical knife 117 which is effected in the following manner The cam 72, see Figure 14 actuates the cam lever 121, and thereby causes the link 120 and the lever 119 to effect the downward or cutting stroke of the vertical knife 117 so that the movable bottom now supports a sized charge of blended tobacco.

The next movement is the retraction or rearward movement of the movable support 65. This is controlled by the cam groove 125, lever 124, and lever 123.

The plunger 126 now moves downwardly, and this plunger is controlled by the cam groove 133, the cam lever 132, links 131 and 128, which latter are connected with the plunger, so that the sized charge is fed into the carrier 135. The plunger 126 now deattends, due to the provision of the cam groove 154 of the cam lever 153 and the connecting linkage to force the sized charge or portion into the carrier 135. The carrier 135-is now advanced to discharge the sized charge of blended tobacco to a desired point of utilization, such as for .exa1nple, the pocket 145 of the rolling apron 144.

The movement of this carrier is controlled by the cam lever 141, link 140, lever 139, link 138, lever 137 and link 136 and cam grooves 142.

The bunch is formed and rolled in the usual manner well known in this art, and a detailed description of the rolling operation is unnecessary.

In so far as I am aware, I am the first in the art to automatically feed different blends into magazines, feed desired quantity from such magazines, and cut it into a sized charge of blended tobacco, and then feed the sized charge to a bunching machine or to a desired point of utilization for further treatment.

Heretofore it has been necessary to obtain the desired blend by manually mixing the different blends together, and it has been done in such manner that the blending was dependent on the skill of the operator to obtain commercially uniform blends. I

In my present invention the blending is automatically maintained uniform, and the size of the hunch is also controlled, so that there is very slight variation in the size of the bunches and in the blend of tobacco.

In the operation of the machine, if the rolling machine forms a part thereof, one operator attends to the rolling apron and the other operator places the different blends of the tobacco on the feed belts.

By the use of this machine, the production is increased and the cost of manufacture is materially reduced.

It will now be apparentthat I have devised anew and useful tobacco blending and feeding mechanism which embodies the features of advantage enumerated as desirable in the statement of the invention and the above description, and that while I have, in the present instance, shown and described a preferred embodiment thereof which will give in practice satisfactory and reliable results, it is to be understood that this embodiment is susceptible of modification in various particulars without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention or sacri ficing any of its advantages.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a tobacco machine, means to feed different blends of,tobacco into separate magazines, means to feed the blends from their magazines, mechanism to cut oil" the tobacco which has been fed, means to bring the blends together to form a sized charge, and delivery mechanism to remove the charges.

2. In a tobacco machine,means to feed different blends of tobacco into separate magazines, means to feed the blends from their magazines, mechanism to cut oft" the tobacco which has been fed, means to bring the blends together to form a sized charge, means to cut the sized charges to obtain a uniform quantity,and delivery mechanism to remove the charges. v

3. In a tobacco machine, means to feed different blends of tobacco into juxtaposed position, meansto advance one blend, means to advance the second blend and thereby cause the retraction of the first advancing means, and mechanism controlled by the retracting movement of the first advancing means to arrest the feeding means of the second advancing means.

4. In a tobacco machine, means to feed different blends of tobacco into separate magazines, combs,.and means to cause a rocking zines, means to feed the blends from their magazines, knives to cut off the fed blends, means to feed the blends together and compress one against the other to form a charge, a movable support for the blends when compressed, actuating means for said support, and means to deliver the charges.

6. In a tobacco machine, means to feed different blends of tobacco into different magazines, means to feed the blends from their magazines, a knife for each magazine, alternately actuated pushers to bring together the blends, a movable support for the blends, a knife to cut the blends into a sized charge, a carrier, means to feed the sized charges to said carrier, and actuating means for said carrier.

7. In a tobacco machine, mechanism to feed different blends into different magazines, means to feed the blends from their magazines to provide blends of uniform thickness, means to cut olf the fed blends, and means to bring the blends together to form a charge.

WALTER H. SCHUSSLER. 

